National Republican., 1887-12-17
A PRELIMINARY "SPAT.'
IN WHICH REED, COX, AND HATCH
TAKE PART. ,..... ...-.-.-
OBJECTION Made to Long Recess Be-
cause 1t wouId Be waste OF vaiu-
nbie Time Democratic snsers at Re-
pnblican Sincerity.


tion that when the two houses adjourn on
Monday, Dec. 10, they stand adjourned
until Thursday, Jan. B.
Mr.. Reed, of Maine, inquired the reason
for the submission Of this resolution.
Mr.. Hatch replied that It was tho usua |
resolution brought 10 at first session Of
Congress. The House had been In session
since the first Monday in December. twas
well known that nothing had been ac-
complished. The House was waiting for
the Speaker TO announce the committees,
and he (Hatch) was satisfied from his per-
sonal knowledge, and from what he had
seen Of the occupation Of the Speakers
time by members Interested In committee
assignments, chat II was impossible that
the committees could be announced uutil
after the holiday recess. lie had submitted
the resolution as much In the interest Of
public business as for the comfort and con-
venience Of the Speaker.
Mr.. Reed said that the peculiar condition
Of the business affairs Of the country rem
dered the action which had been taken, or
rather the nOn-action which had been suf
f.red by the Democratic side Of the House,
matter Of legitimate comment, both here
and before the country. Take 1t all la all
IL was without precedent. Many changes In
the rules OF the House had been suggested,
but had not been acted upon, and yet 1t was
proposed that the House adjourn for the
holidays, and commence after the recess
where 1t had been The custom to begin at
the opening OF the session. II there were
no matters OF public interest before the
country such o course might awaken only
apassing comment, but to-day Congress
wa pressed upon by serious public duty,
which was the reduction OF surplus
which was coming into the treasury
In manner calculated, under the man
ag ,meDt OF the Treasury Department,
to be an embarrassment to The finances of
the country. All were agreed-at least on
the Republican side-tbat this surplus
should be reduced, and the Republicans
stood ready now to make one reduction to
which the other side was agreed, and that
was in reference to the tobacco tax. He
hoped that an opportunity would be given
them by the powers thatbe or were to be,
to vote thereon and to snow to the country
the gentlemen on the other side found 1t
somewhat difficult to arrange themselves
alongside OF the recett message which had
been sent them, that fhe Republicans could
we'll understand, ami could give their as
surances Of most profound sympathy.
The message wis to some Democrats q
1t requested int they should traverse a
very great distance before they could get
alongside of heir pioneer brother at the
end Of the aveJue. IL time was wanted for
that purpose Ie hoped that the gentleman
from Missouri would frankly say so.
[Laughter:l II gentlemen on the other
side were ipgrave doubt how they should
comply viii the suggestions Of the mes
sage; IL ater they had made up their
minds in the interest Of moderation and
reform, aid the most advanced of them
would b content with the destruction Of
few of our industries, and they needed
time to elect those they saw ft to destroy,
that wold be ground for this motion, and
he hopd the gentleman would say II that
was tb reason underneath. t
Mr,Hatch said that he had hoped that he
couldyield the floor to the gentleman from
MaiIS without that gentleman improving
his opportunity to make political
harDgue. He did not think that the gen.
tlenan had improved 1t much, because he
tlman had nothad an opportunity time aud
a!ain during the forty-ninth Congress TO
yote for the consideration of tariff bill,
md had not always voted against 1t, there
might be some sincerity in his talk to day.
HAPplause
the House had rendered to the other side an
opportunity to reduce taxation and the sur
plus In the treasury, but the gentleman
from Maine, by his voice and his vote, had
always stood, as the leader Of hfs party. to
resist 1t. The Democratic side would give
the gentleman an early opportunity to ven
tilate his views on the tariff question, aud
vote for reduction of the tariff II he
wished to. -,.--''- g..
Mr.. Reed. Why not now?
Mr. Hatch. The gentleman knows why
not now, and the gentleman knows that
that is clap-trap. Until the committee ou
ways and means is appointed and bills are
sent to that committee the gentleman
knows that there can be no fair considera-
tion of this question. 1t is to give the
Speaker the opportunity to form commit
tees In the interest Of the public business
of the country that offer the resolution.
Mr.. Cox, Of New York, commented on
what he termed the sudden conversion Of
the gentleman from Maine. He did not
conversion since the time of Saul of Tarsus
ILaughterJ He did not know why the
gentleman should urge upon the Speaker
an immature making up Of the committees.
The House was without rules, and 1t had
no committee framed for the consideration
OF the reduction Of the tobacco tax. In a
matter Of 80 much consequence the House
tunity which had been accorded to other
speakers. 1t was known that the treasury
had q plethora, which paralyzed the chan
nels Of trade and hurt the farmer and arti-
san, and that there must be some relief;
and 1t came with little grace from the gen.
tleman from Maine to make this sinister
and ironical and sarcastic objection to the
message Of the President.
He could recall the time when the most
eminent men on the other side OF the House
had insisted upon the reduction of the tariff
to prevent the accumulation Of a surplus.
Among therest had been the gallant man
from Maine with the white plume. Among
them had been Frye and Hale, insisting on
the reduction OF the tariff on salt and other
articles, except lumber. [Laughter.] He
would like to see every man In the House
regard this fiscal question as outside Of
politics. 1t was business question In every
sense of the word.
Republican states like Minnesota demand
ing the reduction of taxes, but this could
not be done by picking out one article. 1t
must be general; 1t must be staple aud per-
manent. He hoped that when q tariff bill
was considered all parties would unite aud
act for the best interests OF the whole
people and not for the aggrandizement Of
one man or one set Of men, or one party.
lAppleuse.]
Mr.. Mills, OF Texas, offered as substl-
tute for Mr.. Hatch's resolution q resolution
declaring that when the two houses adjourn,
on Thursday, Dec. 22, they stand adjourned
until Wednesday, Jan. 4.
Mr.. Hatch accepted the substitute, and
the resolution, as modified, was agreed to.
Mr. Townshend, of Illinois, offered a
resolution providing that Monday next
shall be devoted to the introduction and
reference OF bills ami resolutions.
This resolution gave rise to some discus
sion, its advocates urging that II bills were
could be returned from the printing office
In time to be referred TO the committees
when appointed, while its opponents con-